Two Indiana Players Suspended Nine Games Each

G Fiume/Maryland Terrapins/Getty Images(INDIANAPOLIS) — Indiana opens its basketball season as the No. 1 ranked team in America, but will also start the season two players short.

The NCAA announced Tuesday that freshmen Hanner Mosquera-Perea and Peter Jerkin have been suspended nine games and must repay some of their impermissible benefits to a charity of their choice.

The benefits in question came from AAU coach Mark Adams, who provided both players with plane tickets, meals, housing, a laptop computer, a cellphone and clothing of various values.

“Despite the minimal nature of Mr. Adams’ donations, and the fact that the last donation he made was more than 15 years before he provided expenses to a prospective student-athlete who enrolled at the institution,” the NCAA wrote in a letter to the school. “Mr. Adams must be considered a representative of the institution’s athletics interests.”

Both players should receive playing time this season for the Hoosiers, who are expecting to compete for a national championship.

Indiana plans to appeal the length of the suspensions in the coming week.